In an interview with Chubstr, beloved actor, activist and bear icon Daniel Franzese talked about the ups and downs of being a big guy in Hollywood.

Franzese, who acted in Mean Girls and Looking, told interviewers about how his weight affects his ability to snag a role. Perhaps surprisingly, being heavy doesn’t hurt his chances. “Every time I’ve lost weight, I get less roles,” he said.

Instead, being in-between spells career death. “I once had someone tell me ‘you can either gain 50 pounds, or lose 50 pounds, but I can’t sell you at what you’re at right now,’” he said. “If you’re somewhere in the middle, then it’s a little harder.”

But Franzese says his size does come with certain difficulties on set — mainly when it comes to facilities. He is not a fan of mini-sized “honeywagon” trailers. “I can’t fit in those! I’m not comfortable in there. It’s like putting a gorilla in a refrigerator,” he says.

Franzese also gave some style advice. “Instead of buying a bunch of stuff that’s ill-fitting, spend the money on one or two signature pieces, then mix it up with some solid basics or funky vintage.” He adds, “I love to shop vintage, especially in the Midwest, where people are bigger.”

The actor and activist talked about how he developed a sense of body confidence. “I had to fake it. I was like, if I’m not confident, I’m an actor, I would act like I’m confident,” he said. Apparently, the classic “fake it ’til you make it” routine works. “Even if you don’t initially believe in yourself, other people believe you, and eventually you will believe in yourself too.”